May in Rome: Some of the Best Things To Do in the Eternal City

The best month of the year to visit Rome – long days and warm weather – has just started and there a lot of interesting activities and things going on here.

If you’re in Rome during this month try to participate in at least one of these events. We picked up some of the most interesting ones and grouped them by theme.

ART & CULTURE

This is probably our favorite event of the month. Open House Roma on May 4 and 5 will open the doors of the city’s most interesting architecture and design sites for free. Read our post for further details.

Italy’s Senate will be open to the public this Saturday from 10am to 6pm. Free entrance and guided tours in Italian. The same will occur at the Lower House on the following day, May 5 from 10:30am to 4pm.

This month also marks the start of night visits of the Colosseum – on Thursdays and Saturdays from 8:20pm to midnight –and the Vatican Museums – every Friday from 7pm to 11pm.

But most of Rome’s museums, monuments and culture institutions will open on May 18 – free of charge – for the Night of Museums.

A very peculiar architecture exhibition starts today at MAXXI. it’s about religious building and in particular the projects submitted for new Italian churches.

MUSIC

Between architecture and music is this event on May 8. The inauguration of the new Architecture Department Hall of Rome’s third University will feature the Pittsburgh River City Brass Band.

Pop fans will enjoy the first concert of Lana del Rey in Italy. May 6, Palalottomatica.

ENTERTAINMENT

The dance and miming crew Mummenschanz will be on stage in Rome from May 3 to the 12th with their new show celebrating 40 years of activity.

International movie buffs will enjoy the free screenings starting on May 9. The Japanese culture institute will propose Jidaigeki, a costume drama Festival – Italian or English subtitles – throughout the month. While the Spanish Movie Festival will offer a full week of Spanish movies subtitled in Italian from May 9 to the 15th.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Three big, big photo exhibitions will hosted in Rome in May. The winning pictures of this year’s edition of World Press Photo will be on display in Museo di Roma in Trastevere from May 4 to the 26th.

Salgado’s projectGenesis will be on show at Ara Pacis from the middle of the month, May 15.

Rome’s Music Auditorium hosts an exhibit of the US magazine Life throughout the month. 150 images celebrating the most important weekly publication for the development of photography in the last century.

SPORT

The key sport event of May is as usual the WTA Master Series Tennis Tournament “Internazionali” from May 11 to the 19th.

One of the last soccer games before the summer recess will be played in Rome on May 26 and it’s a very important match. It’s a derby and it’s the final of Italy’s TIM Cup: AS Roma vs Lazio.

1000 Miglia, Italy’s oldest and most fascinating car race will be in Rome on the night of May 17. More than 300 of the world’s best and most expensive vintage cars will parade through the city.

OUTDOOR

Since the weather is so nice in May, we will all want to enjoy more outdoor events. The Spanish Steps will be adorned by rhododendrons through May 12. Go see them, it’s a spectacular view.